THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

May 2, 2000

JEWISH HERITAGE WEEK, 2000

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

For centuries, Jews from every corner of the globe have come to
America seeking the right to worship in freedom and to pursue their individual
hopes and dreams in peace. For many, the journey was a desperate flight from
oppression and persecution to a new life in a new country. Bolstered by
powerful family and community ties and drawing strength and hope from their
ancient religious traditions, Jews in America not only survived the difficult
transition, but also thrived.

From science and the arts to business and the law; as teachers,
physicians, journalists, judges, musicians, and policy-makers; from
neighborhood stores to the corridors of Congress; from the Armed Forces to the
Supreme Court, generations of Ameri-can Jews have succeeded in every sector of
our society. And the rewards of that success are shared by us all. Our Nation
has benefited immeasurably from the character, values, and achievements of our
Jewish citizens.

Building on the Jewish tradition of hospitality toward strangers and
acutely aware of the long and tragic history of prejudice and persecution
against their people, Jews in America have committed themselves to tolerance,
justice, human rights, and the rule of law. American Jews have shared their
resources generously with health and human services programs, civil rights
groups, educational institutions, arts organiza-tions, and so many more. In
communities across our Nation, in small towns and big cities, synagogues and
yeshivas have become centers of community service and civic responsibility.

During Jewish Heritage Week, let us acknowledge and give thanks for
the many contributions that Jews have brought to our national life and
character, and let us celebrate the rich religious and ethnic threads that
Jewish men and women have woven into the tapestry that is America.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 7 through May 14, 2000, as
Jewish Heritage Week. I urge all Americans to observe this week with
appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of
May, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth.